The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of evening primrose which may be grown as a perennial plant in regions where it is hardy and as an annual bedding plant in regions where it is tender. The new cultivar is known botanically as Oenothera speciosa and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘TURNER01’.
The new cultivar ‘TURNER01’ was discovered in 2001 at a nursery in Barnham, West Sussex, England as a naturally occurring branch sport on an individual whole plant of Oenothera speciosa ‘Siskiyou’ (unpatented). The parent of ‘TURNER01’ is an individual plant of Oenothera speciosa ‘Siskiyou’.
The inventor, who is an experienced propagator of perennial plants, discovered ‘TURNER01’ while taking cuttings from plants of Oenothera speciosa ‘Siskiyou’ for subsequent propagation and production. Whereas the foliage of Oenothera speciosa ‘Siskiyou’ is uniformly green in color, the leaves of the branch sport, ‘TURNER01’ were observed by the inventor to be deep purple in color. The inventor considered that the branch sport may have commercial potential if it could be propagated and found to reproduce true to type. In 2001, the inventor excised the branch sport from its parent plant and took a nodal cutting from the excised plant material. The nodal cutting was placed under mist on a heated bench, with bottom heat temperature of 21° Centigrade. The nodal cutting rooted and was transplanted into a 9 cm container and observed by the inventor. The inventor observed that the new plant possessed the characteristic dark purple foliage coloration of the originally discovered branch sport, ‘TURNER01’.
Since 2001, the inventor has carried out annual cycles of asexual propagation and observed that in each generation the new Oenothera cultivar named ‘TURNER01’ has remained stable and has reproduced true to type by asexual reproduction.
The new cultivar ‘TURNER01’ is characterized by dense mounding form, low spreading habit, deep purple variegated leaves with green edges, and pink flowers that are typical of the species. ‘TURNER01’ is vigorous and spreads freely by rhizomes. Foliage color is pronounced during colder months, and ‘TURNER01’ goes dormant in winter when planted in cold climates.
The closest comparison plant is the parent Oenothera speciosa ‘Siskiyou’. The new variety ‘TURNER01’ is distinguishable from the parent plant by habit and foliage color. The parent exhibits solid green leaves. In deep shade and after flowering the leaf color of ‘TURNER01’ fades, however with fertilization, increased sunlight, and pruning, foliage resumes the deep-purple color with green edges.